diff --git a/bin/hbase b/bin/hbase
index 3aebfa5de6d..6430dc53fc6 100755
--- a/bin/hbase
+++ b/bin/hbase
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@
 #   HBASE_CLASSPATH_PREFIX Extra Java CLASSPATH entries that should be
 #                    prefixed to the system classpath.
 #
-#   HBASE_HEAPSIZE   The maximum amount of heap to use, in MB. 
-#                    Default is 1000.
+#   HBASE_HEAPSIZE   The maximum amount of heap to use.
+#                    Default is unset and uses the JVMs default setting
+#                    (usually 1/4th of the available memory).
 #
 #   HBASE_LIBRARY_PATH  HBase additions to JAVA_LIBRARY_PATH for adding
 #                    native libraries.
diff --git a/bin/hbase.cmd b/bin/hbase.cmd
index 01e1b0737b5..91c2aabd4a3 100644
--- a/bin/hbase.cmd
+++ b/bin/hbase.cmd
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@
 @rem
 @rem   HBASE_CLASSPATH  Extra Java CLASSPATH entries.
 @rem
-@rem   HBASE_HEAPSIZE   The maximum amount of heap to use, in MB. 
-@rem                    Default is 1000.
+@rem   HBASE_HEAPSIZE   The maximum amount of heap to use.
+@rem                    Default is unset and uses the JVMs default setting
+@rem                    (usually 1/4th of the available memory).
 @rem
 @rem   HBASE_OPTS       Extra Java runtime options.
 @rem
diff --git a/conf/hbase-env.cmd b/conf/hbase-env.cmd
index bf7f25aa97d..003d1b388bd 100644
--- a/conf/hbase-env.cmd
+++ b/conf/hbase-env.cmd
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@
 @rem Extra Java CLASSPATH elements.  Optional.
 @rem set HBASE_CLASSPATH=
 
-@rem The maximum amount of heap to use, in MB. Default is 1000.
+@rem The maximum amount of heap to use. Default is left to JVM default.
 @rem set HBASE_HEAPSIZE=1000
 
-@rem Uncomment below if you intend to use off heap cache.
+@rem Uncomment below if you intend to use off heap cache. For example, to allocate 8G of 
+@rem offheap, set the value to "8G".
 @rem set HBASE_OFFHEAPSIZE=1000
 
 @rem For example, to allocate 8G of offheap, to 8G:
diff --git a/conf/hbase-env.sh b/conf/hbase-env.sh
index 1693b178460..2bbde1a6f97 100644
--- a/conf/hbase-env.sh
+++ b/conf/hbase-env.sh
@@ -31,14 +31,12 @@
 # Extra Java CLASSPATH elements.  Optional.
 # export HBASE_CLASSPATH=
 
-# The maximum amount of heap to use, in MB. Default is 1000.
-# export HBASE_HEAPSIZE=1000
+# The maximum amount of heap to use. Default is left to JVM default.
+# export HBASE_HEAPSIZE=1G
 
-# Uncomment below if you intend to use off heap cache.
-# export HBASE_OFFHEAPSIZE=1000
-
-# For example, to allocate 8G of offheap, to 8G:
-# export HBASE_OFFHEAPSIZE=8G
+# Uncomment below if you intend to use off heap cache. For example, to allocate 8G of 
+# offheap, set the value to "8G".
+# export HBASE_OFFHEAPSIZE=1G
 
 # Extra Java runtime options.
 # Below are what we set by default.  May only work with SUN JVM.